Trust || Byler Story ||

7 - The Wheeler Manor

{Sixth Year}

THIRD PERSON POV:

Will was pushed to the ground on his knees, and he grunted, annoyed. Thankfully, Dustin had the right idea to put a spell on Will's face, making him unrecognizable.

He looked ahead of him and saw a man he didn't recognize, next to a woman who looked suspiciously like Mike, and then another girl older than him who looked way too much like Mike. The first man was staring daggers at Will.

"So is it him or not?" The man questions.

"We're not sure," One of the kidnappers behind Will says. "They put a spell on his face before we could get a good look."

The man sneered. "Go get Micheal," He snaps at the girl who looked like Mike.

Will's eyes widened a fraction before schooling himself back into a regular expression, and he waits for Mike to come.

But when Mike enters the room, he feels his blood boil.

There was a massive bruise-- a black eye, that was a dark purple color. Mike looked so completely in despair Will physically hurt. The ravenette kept his eyes to the floor as he walked into the room.

"Micheal, is this William Byers?" The cruel man, who Will realized was probably Mike's father, questions.

Mike looked up, startled by Will's name. The two locked eyes, and Will immediately saw the spark of recognition. Will tried to send pleading messages through their eye contact, and after a moment, Mike seemed to get the memo.

"I.. Don't think so.." Mike says slowly.

"Look closer," His father snaps, making Mike flinch. Will's eyes darken as he gets to the realization. "If you're wrong and the Dark Lord finds out, it'll be hell to pay for all of us."

Mike gingerly walks closer, crouching right in front of Will's face.

The two stared at each other for a long moment, neither of them saying a single word. Mike seemed to be trying to convey something, but Will had no idea what it was.

After the long moment, Mike shook his head. "No, this is some rando," He says, standing up.

"You're positive?" His father questions

Mike nods. "Absolutely," He says, before looking down at Will with so much disdain and disgust Will visibly flinches. "Just let him go, they'll be completely and utterly useless for us."

So that's why everyone thought he was horrible. Will thought. He's an actor.

"No, they know what we're doing now," Mike's father says, sounding angry at the prospect. Mike looks over at his father, eyes very briefly betraying his feelings. Thankfully, his father was staring at Will with a death glare he didn't notice. "You, idiotic hunters, bring them all down to the dungeons."

So now Will was pacing in the dungeons, Dustin and Jane standing a few feet away from him, as well as Lucas sitting on the ground, petting a snake.

"How are we supposed to get out?" Dustin whispers.

Jane frowns. "We don't know apparition spells," She whispers, staring at the ground and trying to think. "And trying to escape manually is too risky."

Will looks over at Lucas. "Do you have any ideas?" He questions. He glances down at the snake. "And why do you have a snake?"

Lucas smiles at them. "It's Jana, Mike's familiar," He says, holding up his hand to show them.

"Ooooo.." Jane breathes out. There were practically stars in her eyes. "Pretty."

"I know right? She's not safe up there right now, so Mike told me to take care of her for now," Lucas says, stroking the top of Jana's head. "She's good at feeling someone's emotions."

Will's eyes widen. "Mike's been down here?" He questions.

Lucas looks up again. He smiles awkwardly. "Yeah? He's the one who's been getting me food," He explains. "He's scheduled to come back soon anyway. Maybe you guys can figure out a way out then."

"We're getting you out as well," Jane says adamantly. "You're one of us now."

"Yay?" Lucas says with a chuckle.

The door opens and Lucas gestures for them to hide in a corner. Will jumps over with his friends just as Mike steps inside, frowning as he places a tray of food on the ground for Lucas.

"Eat up, traitor," Mike hissed, eyes flicking up to the door and back at Lucas.

Then the door behind him shuts and Mike visibly relaxes, slumping to the ground in a sitting position. Lucas raises an eyebrow at him, gesturing to the bruise on his eye.

Mike waves him off. "Just my dad," He mumbles. Lucas sighs.

"What..?" Will breathes out, making Mike whip his head around. Both of them stare in shock at each other. "Your dad really did that?"

The ravenette opened and closed his mouth a few times, before he shot up, rushing to pull Will into a tight hug, burying his face in Will's shoulder. Will tightly hugged back, and his frown deepens when he feels Mike's shoulders tremble with sobs.

"It's okay," Will whispers into Mike's ear, just for him. "We're gonna get everyone out of here, don't worry."

Mike nods slightly, and when he pulls back and wipes his face, letting out a small awkward laugh of embarrassment. "Sorry, that was... That was embarrassing," He says softly.

"Don't be embarrassed, anyone would feel the same way," Jane says, hands on her hands.

Mike nods, sniffling.

...

It seemed to be in slow motion, what happens next.

Dobby, Will's house elf friend, reaches for the group, using his powers to teleport them to a different place.

Will's eyes widen in fear as he reaches out to grab Mike, who was only a few feet away from him.

But then, Bellatrix, Mike's aunt, throws a dagger at the group right as they disappear, Will and Mike's fingers less than an inch away from touching.

Mike collapses to the ground as his father hits him. Ted pulls out his wand and wastes no time before he says, "Crucio!" making Karen and Bellatrix stare at him in shock as Mike begins screaming.

Pain blooms all over his body, and Mike's out of control thrashing and writhing, as well as his screams and whimpers, make for a tragic sight.

"Ted!" Karen shouts, running to her son's side. "Stop it!"

The cruel man glowers down at his 'family'. "He's just as traitorous as that friend of his," Ted hissed out. "He'll learn, in time and pain."

Fat tears roll down Mike's cheeks as he continues screaming, scratching and clawing his skin as if that will get rid of the agony. Karen pulls him onto her lap, trying to calm him as tears of her own are shed. Nancy runs into the room, and starts a shouting match with her father.

In the end, Ted leaves the room. Nancy rushes to her brother's side just as Mike's eyes roll up in the back of his head and he faints, collapsing into his mother's arms.

<^> To Be Continued

(1.1k words)

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